Ice Cream Van being parked almost opposite school - AIBU?

[CleverCatty]

I've noticed that over Lockdown an Ice Cream Van has been parked almost opposite the school gates and most days from 2pm onwards (so when the nursery finishes for the day it's there and then when school ends).

The van used to be parked further down the road on which I live but has obviously moved further, nearer to the school?

AIBU that it shouldn't be every day or am I just being a Moaning Minnie?

I'm really surprised by the people giving OP a hard time. OP, you are NOT being unreasonable. An ice cream van parked outside my kids' school every day all year round and it pissed me off. It obviously annoyed the head too as she wrote to parents about it. It is not just unhealthy, but it creates stress for parents who can't afford it but see other children being offered one. It's different if an ice cream vans drives by occasionally or is there on special occasions, but to be permanently based practically on school property is very annoying.

If you are in England, he shouldn't be allowed in front of the school in the middle of a lockdown!

But no-one cares. Beauty spots are flooded with ice cream vans/ snacks / coffee vans... even if in theory we are only supposed to go there to EXERCISE, not meeting friends for coffee...When everybody else is doing it, why not.

When the lockdown is over, PTA should start selling ice-cream instead. Kids have their treat, school gets money, and ice-cream van not making any business will get the message.

My school was doing it before covid, worked really well.

I'd be much more concerned about annoying parking by parents near schools.

As for this ice cream van, if it's not causing an obstruction it really is none of your business. If it is then you can try reporting it, and I assume you will be ignored!

I initially agreed with you as it is a pain to say no to the DC when they ask for ice cream but actually, this is not the right way to look at it. Would I want to forbid supermarkets and restaurants to sell unhealthy food just because it is too tempting? Of course not, so the same logic applies.

For me - it's encouraging kids to eat fatty, sweet, ice cream more often than they would otherwise.

Mum, mum can I have an ice cream?

No, you had one yesterday.

He's preying on kids and parents? What on earth is he selling? Crack?

We had one parked INSIDE our school, in the playground. Knocked a kid over on more than one occasion. I don’t think they have that now

But outside the school, I can’t see an issue.

@whetherpigshavewings

If you are in England, he shouldn't be allowed in front of the school in the middle of a lockdown!

But no-one cares. Beauty spots are flooded with ice cream vans/ snacks / coffee vans... even if in theory we are only supposed to go there to EXERCISE, not meeting friends for coffee...When everybody else is doing it, why not.

aha - see he isn't exactly in front of the school! He's just round the corner at the side entrance.

@LovelyLovelyWarmCoffee

I initially agreed with you as it is a pain to say no to the DC when they ask for ice cream but actually, this is not the right way to look at it. Would I want to forbid supermarkets and restaurants to sell unhealthy food just because it is too tempting? Of course not, so the same logic applies.

so why did supermarkets stop selling sweets and chocolate at checkouts then??

@whetherpigshavewings

When the lockdown is over, PTA should start selling ice-cream instead. Kids have their treat, school gets money, and ice-cream van not making any business will get the message.

My school was doing it before covid, worked really well.

there you go, problem solved.

@LolaSmiles

As long as they're parked responsibly then I couldn't be wound up by it.

On the sugar/fat/ice cream side of things, you'd be disgusted by one of my primary schools as a child. The lollipop lady had jars of lollies some days. I used to love the rhubarb and custard ones (red, yellow and green swirled boiled sugar types).

It's up to parents to moderate their children's diet though.

Trust me we had similar sugar/fat/ice cream stuff and lollies etc when I was a child.

Moaning minnie and joyless grouch.

"so why did supermarkets stop selling sweets and chocolate at checkouts then??"

Who has? Every supermarket I go to has chocolate at the checkout, and I usually cave and buy some, but that's my fault, not asdas.

@SeasonFinale

Why wouldn't a business maximise its potential? It is not on school property and as long as it acts within the law so what if it is there every day. You make a choice whether or not to use it.

If you went by a newsagent every day en route to school would you expect it to close during that period? It is the same thing.

You need to maximise your profits in accordance with your licencing rules though and afaik they have putch where they can stop. It may be different in different places, but that's what I've been told.

You mind enough to start a thread on it...

You'd have had kittens at my school OP, an ice cream van used to drive into the playground every lunchtime (with, i presume, prior agreement from the school) and did a roaring trade. I very much doubt this arrangement has continued but we all survived.

It may well be against the terms of their council licence. In my city there are rules specifically relating to not parking up and selling close to schools. Check with your council.
Annoying and not fair on other vans who observe the rules.

so why did supermarkets stop selling sweets and chocolate at checkouts then??

For the same reason they have P&C spaces - they want to appeal to parents because they spend a lot of money.

Parents complained about the temptation of the sweets so the shops moved them.

Oh for gods sake its their business!

I just think he's preying a bit on kids and parents though I suppose if they can't go shops as easily as before it must be ok.

I'm sorry but you're being ridiculous - "preying on kids"? Ffs! He's trying to earn a bloody living poor guy. Stop being such a busybody!

I think everyday in the same place is a bit much. It will make some parents’ walk home joyless and moan-filled. Being on a different route away from the school each day so kids are only passing it once or twice a week or going to a different school each day would be more community minded. The ice cream van isn’t breaking the law, but then neither were cigarette companies when they put their products in vending machines, or porn mags when they encouraged newsagents to make their products more visible.

But I also think parents need to be able to say no to their kids and set boundaries despite the temptation.

@Tinydinosaur the government announced that they were going to ban it in 2018 but I’m not sure if they actually implemented it. My local supermarket (Lidl) has nuts and dried fruit by the tills.

I used to buy my ds one every day😋

He’s 6ft 4, perfectly healthy at 27 and not overly keen on sweet things.

It didn’t do him any harm.

the name of the ice cream van is 'Uncle... Jerry' (not the real name) - it just sounds a bit matey to me.

I feel like you’re trying to imply it’s somehow creepy to have a name that sounds friendly. He’s not selling sex toys to the children so what the problem with a “matey” name?